KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Prime Minister is welcoming investors and business owners from the United States (US) to look into Malaysia as an investment destination.
During a special four-day working visit to Washington D.C., PM Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob extended investment invitations to Fortune 500 companies mainly to those in digital economy, green technology, and the electric car industries.
According to news reports from Bernama, the PM has given his suggestions to electric car makers, Tesla, and invited them to invest in the country as a location for electric car production in the Southeast Asia region.
Ismail Sabri spoke to reporters after his meeting with the US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) president and CEO, Ambassador Ted Osius at a hotel in Washington.
He also stated that he has requested for the US-ABC to play a more significant role in regards to attracting investments to the ASEAN market, particularly for Malaysia.
He added that the US-ABC is viewing Malaysia as an important trade partner to the US.
The US-ABC was established in 1984 and currently represents 170 large American firms in the Southeast Asia region.
Additionally, the PM is set to meet with US President Joe Biden and other ASEAN leaders during the trip.
World class event to be hosted in Penang
Ismail Sabri also had a separate meeting with the secretary-general of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), Dr James H. Poisant at the same location.
Following the meeting, the PM announced that WITSA is organising the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) to be held in Penang around September.
He added that he hopes Malaysia would benefit technologically from the congress which will be attended by a worldwide audience including speakers from the US.
In his third meeting at the same venue, he met with the president of Peterson Institute for International Economics Dr Adam S. Posen along with the East-West Center vice president, Dr P Limaye.
Ismail Sabri also had another discussion session with the deputy assistant to the US President and coordinator for lndo-Pacific Affairs in the National Security Council, Dr Kurt M. Campbell.
It was during this meeting where the PM spoke to Dr Campbell about how all ASEAN nations should participate in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), an initiative suggested by the US president himself.
As of present time, not every ASEAN nation are involved in this major trade and economic initiative which the PM believes should be reworked to ensuring all are involved.
Despite that, he had added that Malaysia, in principle, is accepting to be part of the IPEF.
In related news, the delegation led by Senior Minister Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, is also presently in the US for the 10-day Trade and Investment Mission. He revealed that talks with the US are likely to garner RM14.62 billion in new investments for Malaysia.
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Read more: Investments of RM14.62 billion expected from US visit
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